CRISPR/Cas- and RNAi-based technologies for crop improvement: Reviewing the risk assessment and challenges towards a more sustainable agriculture

Authors: KOHLRAUSCH TÁVORA, PINHEIRO, F. - University Of Brazil; SANTOS DINIZ, FRANCISCO - University Of Brazil; RÊGO-MACHADO, CAMILA - University Of Brazil; GREITAS, NATALIA - Embrapa; MONTEIRO ARRAES, FABRICIO - Embrapa Genetic Resources; ANDRADE, EDUARDO - Embrapa; FURTADO, LEILA - University Of Brazil; OSIRO, KAREN - University Of Brazil; SOUSA, NATALIA - Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas(CONICET); MERZ HENNING, LILIANCE - Embrapa; DE OLIVEIRA MOLINARI, PATRÍCIA ABRÃO - Embrapa; FEINGOLD, SÉRGIO - Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas(CONICET); Hunter, Wayne; GROSSI DE SÁ, MARIA - Embrapa; KOBAYASHI, ADILSON - Embrapa; NEPOMUCENO, ALEXANDRE - Embrapa; SANTIAGO, THAÍS - University Of Brazil; CORREA MOLINARI, HUGO - Embrapa

Submitted to: Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/6/2022
Publication Date: 6/28/2022
Citation: Kohlrausch Távora, P.T., Santos Diniz, F.A., Rêgo-Machado, C.M., Greitas, N.C., Monteiro Arraes, F.B., Andrade, E.C., Furtado, L.L., Osiro, K.O., Sousa, N.L., Merz Henning, L.M., De Oliveira Molinari, P., Feingold, S.E., Hunter, W.B., Grossi De Sá, M.F., Kobayashi, A.K., Nepomuceno, A.L., Santiago, T.R., Correa Molinari, H.B. 2022. CRISPR/Cas- and RNAi-based technologies for crop improvement: Reviewing the risk assessment and challenges towards a more sustainable agriculture. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.913728.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.913728

Interpretive Summary: This article presents a review of the risk assessment, benefits, and recent advances in nanotechnology associated with the applications of gene-editing and gene suppression technologies in crop breeding. The study highlights the advantages and drawbacks of using each technology, providing a brief overview of how to improve target specificity and current worldwide regulatory frameworks regarding topically applied biopesticides, herbicides, and gene-editing technologies. The review highlights successful case studies of biotechnological solutions derived from these technologies, and the potential challenges that have to be faced to bring these products to commercial markets.

Technical Abstract: This article presents a review of the risk assessment, benefits and advances in nanotechnology associated with the application of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short-Palindromic-Repeats/ associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) systems and Ribonucleic-acid interference (RNAi)-based technologies to crop breeding. The present review highlights advantages and drawbacks of using each technology, providing a brief overview of how to improve target specificity in either plants or insects. A discussion is presented on the current worldwide regulatory frameworks regarding topically applied RNAi and use of CRISPR technologies. Examples are provided of successful case studies that used the biotechnological solutions derived from either technology, while outlining the potential challenges faced to bring these technologies into agricultural commercial markets.